Adhesive tape dispenser

ABSTRACT

The tape dispenser completely conceals its tape roll in a tightly closed housing. A removable cover extended from a major side or a top side of the tape dispenser&#39;s body is provided. At least a major side of the tape dispenser&#39;s body has a curved recession. As such, when the cover is opened, a section of the adhesive tape and a cutting edge at a front edge of a bottom side of the tape dispenser&#39;s body is exposed in a front opening and the recession for easy and convenient access. As such, the tape dispenser provides higher degrees of sanitation and safety than the conventional tape dispensers.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to adhesive tape dispensers, andmore particularly to a tape dispenser having a high degree of sanitationand safety for medical institutions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Adhesive tape dispensers, whether they are desktop dispensers orhand-held dispensers, are usually structured as shown in FIG. 6. Asillustrated, the body 21 of the dispenser is formed by two parallelpieces joined together along their bottom edges by a lateral piece. Thetwo pieces also forms a hub (not numbered) in the center for theinstallation of a tape roll 20. A cutting edge 22 is then provided at afront end of the lateral piece. For this type of tape dispensers, thetape roll 20 is completely exposed and therefore could be easilycontaminated. As such, a tape dispenser as shown in FIG. 7 is usuallyused in hospitals or medical institutions where hygiene is a majorconcern. As illustrated, the tape roll 20 is almost completely hidden ina housing of the integrally formed body 21. However, in order to pullout the tape, an opening 23 is still required and part of the tape roll20 is again exposed. Moreover, in this type of tape dispensers, thecutting edge 22 is pointed upward and even more exposed than theprevious design. In other words, these tape dispensers still are notappropriate for use in medical institutions where high degrees ofsanitation and safety are required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel tapedispenser herein to obviate the shortcomings of conventional tapedispensers in terms of sanitation and safety.

According to the present invention, the tape dispenser completelyconceals its tape roll in a tightly closed housing. A removable coverextended from a major side or a top side of the tape dispenser's body isprovided. At least a major side of the tape dispenser's body has acurved recession. As such, when the cover is opened, a section of theadhesive tape and a cutting edge at a front edge of a bottom side of thetape dispenser's body is exposed in a front opening and the recessionfor easy and convenient access.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introductionto the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects ofthe present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detaileddescription of the invention and the claims should be read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specificationand drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similarparts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will becomemanifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to thedetailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which apreferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of thepresent invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective-view diagram showing the body of a tapedispenser according to a first embodiment of the present invention whenthe body is unfolded.

FIG. 2 is a perspective-view diagram showing the body of the tapedispenser of FIG. 1 when it is folded.

FIG. 3 is a sectional-view diagram showing the inside of the tapedispenser of FIG. 1 with a tape roll inside the body.

FIG. 4 is a perspective-view diagram showing the body of a tapedispenser according to a second embodiment of the present invention whenthe body is unfolded.

FIG. 5 is a perspective-view diagram showing the body of the tapedispenser of FIG. 4 when it is folded.

FIG. 6 is a perspective-view diagram showing a conventional tapedispenser.

FIG. 7 is a perspective-view diagram showing another conventional tapedispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are notintended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of theinvention in any way. Rather, the following description provides aconvenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of theinvention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made inthe function and arrangement of the elements described without departingfrom the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

A tape dispenser according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The tape dispenser has an integrallyformed body 10 that can be unfolded as shown in FIG. 1 and folded into ahollow casing with a front opening as shown in FIG. 2. The body 10 hastwo opposing major sides, each having a protrusion 11 on an innersurface of the major sides. When the body 10 is folded, the twoprotrusions 11 jointly form a hub for a tape roll 20 (see FIG. 3). Theadhesive tape therefore could be pulled out of the body 10 from the taperoll 20 via the front opening and then cut by a saw-tooth cutting edge13 positioned at a front edge of a bottom side of the body 10. Pleasenote that the saw-teeth of the cutting edge 13 could be furthersharpened by gradually decreasing its thickness towards their tips.

A first major side has a curved recession 12 along a front edge boardingon said front opening. On the other hand, a cover 14 is extended from asecond major side opposite to the first major side. The cover 14 isappropriately shaped and perforated so that it could be bended to coverentirely the front opening, the cutting edge 13, and the recession 12.As such, the tape roll 20 is tightly closed inside the body 10,achieving a high degree of storage safety and usage sanitation.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a tape dispenser according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention. As illustrated, the cover 14 is hinged to orextended from a front side of the body 10 by a perforation 15. The twomajor sides of the body 10 have corresponding curved recessions 12 alongtheir front edges bordering on the front opening, respectively. Thecover 14 is appropriately shaped so that the front opening, the cuttingedge 13, and the recessions 12 could be tightly closed and sealed insidethe body 10 when the cover 14 is closed. Furthermore, the cutting edge13 could be positioned slightly into the body 10 and a protection rim 16extended from a front bottom edge of the cover 14 is arranged to coverthe cutting edge 13 entirely and to provide additional safety guardagainst the sharp teeth of the cutting edge 13. The protection rim 16could be designed so that it snaps onto the bottom side of the body 10to achieve reliable locking of the cover 14 to the body 10.

According to the foregoing description, a tape dispenser according tothe present invention has the tape roll and the cutting edge as wellcompletely sealed inside the tape dispenser's body to prevent the taperoll from contamination when the tape dispenser is not used and toprevent a user accidentally cut by the tape dispenser. By opening theremovable cover of the tape dispenser, the adhesive tape could be easilyand conveniently accessed as the conventional tape dispensers.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together may also find a useful application in other types ofmethods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown anddescribed and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intendedto be limited to the details above, since it will be understood thatvarious omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the formsand details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be madeby those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spiritof the present invention.

1. A tape dispenser, comprising: a hollow body having a hub for theinstallation of a tape roll inside said body and a front opening, atleast a first major side having a recession along a front edge of saidfirst major side bordering on said front opening; a saw-tooth cuttingedge positioned along a front edge of a bottom side of said body; and aremovable cover connected to said body covering said front opening andsaid recession when said cover is closed, and exposing said tape rollfrom said front opening and said recession when said cover is opened. 2.The tape dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said cover is extendedfrom a second major side of said body opposing to said first major side.3. The tape dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said cover isextended from a front side of said body; and said cover is connected tosaid body by one of a hinge and a perforation.
 4. The tape dispenseraccording to claim 1, wherein saw teeth of said cutting edge hasgradually decreasing thickness towards the tips of said saw teeth. 5.The tape dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said cover has aprotection rim along a front bottom edge to conceal said cutting edge.